Prince William was spotted enjoying a father-son bonding moment with George at Aston Villa’s Conference League match this evening, in his first public appearance since Kate Middleton’s cancer diagnosis.
The Prince of Wales was seen cheering in the stands at Villa Park with his eldest son, Prince George, as striker Ollie Watkins’ header gave Villa an early lead over French club Lille at the 14th minute.
William – a keen Aston Villa fan – was seen saying a few words to his smiling son, dressed in a burgundy and blue supporters scarf.
The family stayed at Anmer Hall in Norfolk with their in-laws over the Easter school holidays as Kate Middleton receives treatment for an undisclosed form of cancer, announced last month.
Prince William has broken his social media silence following the tragic news of his wife’s cancer diagnosis on Wednesday, paying tribute to England lioness and Villa striker Rachel Daly after announcing her retirement from international football.
Prince William and Prince George were seen celebrating Aston Villa’s opening goal against Lille in video coverage of the Conference League match broadcast by TNT Sports.
William, a big Villa fan, spent time with George on Thursday
William, who is an avid Aston Villa fan, turned around and appeared to say a few words to his son.
Prince William, Prince of Wales and Prince George of Wales look on during the 2023/24 UEFA Europa Conference League quarter-final first leg match between Aston Villa and Lille OSC
Prince William and Prince George of Wales watch the match alongside Villa centre-half Tyrone Mings (right)
The family has kept a low profile in recent weeks as the Princess of Wales takes time to recover amid rounds of “preventative” chemotherapy to stop the disease.
The family are currently said to be spending the Easter holidays in Norfolk, before the children return to their private school in Berkshire.
Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis are due to return on April 17.
Carole Middleton, 69, is also said to have supported her daughter throughout her recovery at her home in Windsor, with the princess stepping back from royal duties until she is cleared to return by her medical team.
Prince William broke his silence on Wednesday by paying tribute to Rachel Daly as she retired from international football.
In a concise statement shared on the Instagram account run by the Prince and Princess of Wales, he said: “Thank you for so many unforgettable performances with the Lionesses, Rachel Daly.”
“A lot more goals for Villa now,” he joked, with Daly now focusing exclusively on his role as Aston Villa’s number 9 with the women’s team.
Prince William, who has not been seen publicly since his wife’s announcement, is not expected to return to public duties until his children return to school after the holidays.
However, he was reportedly spotted on a “low-key” outing to a pub in Norfolk with his mother-in-law this weekend.
“One customer told me: ‘It was all very low-key, without much fanfare. He entered and walked through the pub. He appeared to be with Carole Middleton,” wrote the Daily Mail’s Richard Eden in today’s paper.
Kate Middleton announced her shock cancer diagnosis in March, admitting she was undergoing “preventative” chemotherapy after a period away from public life.
She said it had been an “incredibly difficult few months” for her family, but that she was “doing well and getting stronger every day”.
The news came after it was announced in February that King Charles III was also undergoing treatment for cancer.
Earlier this week, Kensington Palace released thank you cards to members of the public who sent well wishes to the princess following the announcement.
The family have kept a low profile in recent weeks, but spent the Easter holidays with their children, Prince George, 10, Princess Charlotte, eight, and Prince Louis, five.
William has not been seen publicly since his wife’s announcement and is not expected to return to public duties until his children return to school.
In February, he spoke with Holocaust survivor Renee Salt at London’s Western Marble Arch Synagogue and took part in discussions about the rise of anti-Semitism in Britain.
Ollie Watkins arrived at the far post to nod home John McGinn’s corner and give Villa a 1-0 lead.
Kate, 42, was inundated with messages from royal fans wishing for her recovery
A woman shared an image of the card sent to her by Kensington Palace
The heir to the British throne has long been a keen Villa supporter – and has even brought his son Prince George to matches at Villa Park (photo from March 2023)
Kate (pictured with Princess Charlotte on Christmas Day 2023), 42, announced via an emotional video message in late March that she was in the early stages of treatment after a cancer diagnosis.
Prince William, 41, shared a personal message this afternoon on the official Instagram account he shares with the Princess of Wales.
William, a huge football fan, who supports the Birmingham-based team, became FA chairman in 2006 and regularly attends England matches and FA Cup finals. Pictured are the Prince and Princess of Wales in November 2023
Three days before the princess announced her diagnosis, William attended a conference aimed at ending homelessness at the Millennium Gallery in Sheffield.
Aston Villa then sealed a 2-1 win over Lille after John McGinn delivered an excellent corner at the far post which Watkins headed into.
It was the Villa striker’s 25th goal of the season, with captain McGinn himself getting on the scoresheet in the second half to make it 2-0.
Lille would score a late goal through Bafode Diakité, but the Villans would end up winning the rest of the match 2-1.
Aston Villa face Premier League leaders Arsenal on Sunday April 14.
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